Suppository applicator



Nov. 10, 1964 'r. s. HARRISON ETAL 3,156,240

SUPPOSITORY APPLICATOR Filed Sept. 8, 1961 mwzzvro THOM s. HARRISO aBRUC .COKELEY Th air A TTORNEYS.

United States Patent M 3,156,240 SUPPGSITORY APPLICATOR Thomas S.Harrison, New Canaan, Coma, and Bruce J.

Coireley, Huntington Station, N.Y., assignors to Lehn &

Fink Products Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of DelawareFiled Sept. 8, 1961, Ser. No. 136,873 3 Claims. (Cl. 128--271) Thisinvention relates to a new and useful improvement in suppositories, andmore particularly, to a suppository having a detachable applicator tofacilitate the handling and use of the suppository.

Suppositories are widely used in connection with a "ariety of medicaland health problems. Inasmuch as suppositories usually are compounded ofsolid substances which melt at body temperature, the heat of the handstends to melt them. Further, a suppository must be inserted far enoughinto body cavity so that it will be properly positioned and retainedtherein. Without the use of an applicator, insertion frequently isdifficult and unpleasant.

Suppository applicators in the past have had a number of disadvantages.Some prior applicators are constructed so that a cap or cup holding thesuppository material is left in the body cavity after insertion and mustbe removed thereafter. In other devices the suppository is in troducedby means of Wooden sticks or plunger devices which are difiicult todispose of and may not be available when needed.

In accordance with the present invention a combined suppository andapplicator are provided which facilitate the insertion of thesuppository into a body cavity. More particularly, the suppositoriesembodying the present invention are provided with a disposableapplicator handle attached thereto which can, nevertheless, be readilydetached after the suppository has been applied. Inasmuch as theapplicator is fixed to the suppository, it provides an optimum amount offinger control of the suppository without touching the suppository,thereby avoiding danger of possible contamination of the suppository andresulting infection.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to theaccompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a blank fromwhich an applicator for a suppository embodying the present invention isformed;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevatio-nal view of a completed applicator;

FEGURE 3 is a perspective view of the applicator;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective View of the suppository and applicatorembodying the invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a view in section taken on line 55 of FIGURE 4.

A typical applicator in accordance with the invention includes anapplicator or handle which is suitably formed by rolling a blank 11 ofpaper or other suitable material into a cone or other similargeometrical form. A typical blank 11 is shown in FIG. 1. It has onearmate edge 11a of suitable curvature to form the base of the cone andother straight edges 11b, 11c, 11d and 11e, which conform to the coneand form a neat spiral pattern on the exterior of the cone. A polygonalrecess 11 is formed at the junction of the edges 11d and 112 to providethe applicator 10 with an open upper end. While the applicatorpreferably is of conical shape as illustrated because of its freedomfrom corners or edges, other tapered geometrical forms of applicatorsmay also be used. A typical applicator 10 is approximately threequartersto one and one-quarter inches long. The pre- 3,156,240 Patented Nov. 10,1964 ferred diameter of the cone at its base is approximately one-halfto three-quarters of an inch.

The applicator 10 is embedded to a depth of approximately three-eighthsof an inch in one end of the suppository 12. Attachment of theapplicator to the suppository is accomplished during the molding of thesuppository and while the suppository mass is still molten or plastic.Some of the molten mass projects into the cone. On solidification thesuppository and applicator are firmly joined on the outside and insideof the cone.

To use the suppository, a finger is inserted into the base of theapplicator 119 while the outside is engaged by the tip of the thumb. Thesuppository can then be inserted into a body cavity to a required depth.Contraction of the muscles around the cavity when used in the rectumeasily separates the suppository from the applicator which is thendiscarded. From the foregoing it will be clear that combinedsuppositories and applicators embodying the present invention provide asanitary unit capable of convenient and easy use. They can be packagedin sealed containers to prevent contamination and can be used withouttouching the suppository itself or the body. The applicators and thecomposition and shape of the suppositories are susceptable toconsiderable modification. Thus, the applicator can be formed of paper,sheet plastic, or even molded of palstic or fibrous materials. The shapeof the applicator can be modified so long as it provides a satisfactoryunion with the suppository and is readily gripped between the tips ofthe fingers and controlled thereby.

Accordingly, it will be understood that the form of the inventiondisclosed herein is illustrative.

We claim:

1. A combined suppository and applicator comprising an elongatedsuppository capable of melting at body temperature and a hollow,substantially conical applicator member having its smaller end embeddedin said suppository, said smaller end being open and containing aportion of said suppository for securing the latter to said applicatormember.

2. A combined suppository and applicator comprising an elongatedsuppository capable of melting at body temperature and a hollow conicalapplicator having its smaller end embedded in said suppository, saidapplicator being composed of thin sheet material and having open largeand small opposite ends, said large end being shaped to receive a fingerand said small end receiving a portion of said suppository to secure theapplicator member to said suppository.

3. A combined suppository and applicator, said suppository comprising anelongated suppository capable of melting at body temperature and atapered hollow applicator member having open smaller and larger oppositeends, said smaller end being embedded in said suppository and having anopening thereon receiving a portion of said suppository for securingsaid suppository to said applicator member, and said larger end beingopen to receive a finger.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS467,599 Ellis et al Ian. 26, 1892 2,105,710 Wadel Ian. 18, 1938 FOREIGNPATENTS 648,690 Germany Aug. 6, 1937 1,049,885 France Jan. 4, 19541,081,586 Germany Oct. 31, 1957 1,227,414 France Apr. 19, 1960

3. A COMBINED SUPPOSITORY AND APPLICATOR, SAID SUPPOSITORY COMPRISING ANELONGATED SUPPOSITORY CAPABLE OF MELTING AT BODY TEMPERATURE AND ATAPERED HOLLOW APPLICATOR MEMBER HAVING OPEN SMALLER AND LARGER OPPOSITEENDS, SAID SMALLER END BEING EMBEDDED IN SAID SUPPOSITORY AND HAVING ANOPENING THEREON RECEIVING A PORTION OF SAID SUPPOSITORY FOR SECURINGSAID SUPPOSITORY TO SAID APPLICATOR MEMBER, AND SAID LARGER END BEINGOPEN TO RECEIVE A FINGER.